Dampier Highway Duplication, Pilbara WA

CLIENT: Main Roads WATIMEFRAME: January 2011 – February 2013VALUE: AUD$110 million

Delivered on time and within budget, the Dampier Highway Duplication was a design and construct project completed in remote regional Western Australia by the HWA (Highway/Downer Works/Albem Operations) Joint Venture, in partnership with Main Roads WA.

Project Images

The project involved the construction of seven kilometres of new dual carriageway between the Karratha town site and airport, including the construction of a new bridge structure and refurbishment of an existing bridge over Seven Mile Creek. Optional works, added at a later date, extended the road an additional six kilometres from the airport to the Burrup Road intersection.

The project included extensive traffic management in a high speed area with a high proportion of vehicles and included the first slip-based, cyclone rated, high speed road light pole in Western Australia.

A well managed stakeholder engagement strategy included extensive and proactive communications with major miners, gas producers and mining service companies in an expanding industrial and residential precinct adjacent to the work site.

Innovative technology

Significantly, this project included the construction of 20,000m2 of high strength, hand placed concrete pavements. This was a first for a Main Roads WA project. The new technology was developed in collaboration with Main Roads using NSW expertise.

Blasting management around the Dampier to Bunbury gas main

The efficient management, protection and relocation and of services was also a significant feature of this complex and high profile project, which included protecting the high pressure Dampier to Bunbury gas main during detailed blasting.

Awards and Accolades
The project was nominated and a finalist for an Engineers Excellence Award (WA) award in the Environment and Innovation category. It was also very well received within the local community, which was reflected in the clients’ Contractor Performance Reports where it achieved a consistently high average score rating.

Highway Construction is a West Australian owned and operated civil construction company founded in 1986. It specialises in the project management of road, bridge and pavement construction projects across Australia.